I just let go of something I love. I got the signs as I have so many times before. I heard and saw that it was time to release this phase, to call on trust, to release control of outcomes, to choose myself, to honor love by allowing change. I knew it was time to let go and it was still hard. It is hard. To be candid, I have been ignoring these signs to let go for some time. As I have in situations before, I didn’t want to see what I was seeing. I didn’t want this to be true. I didn’t want to acknowledge that it was time to incite change. I wanted to hold on. The familiar was no longer serving me or the other in optimum ways. We were not thriving. And still, I held on because love was still there. I thought the presence of love meant that I must hold on. I’ve learned that loving means staying loyal, not letting go. Unlearning this rigid belief is happening, though not as gracefully as I would like. Ignoring the signs did not change the truth. It merely postponed my making choices and actually added a great deal of anxiety to my inner and outer world in the meantime. Fear grew and confusion began clouding the clear signs to act. Being in tune with my body and having a consistent practice of meditation, be it walking, yoga, seated breath exercise, creative play, or writing, has led me to intimately hear the truth and receive guidance on how to proceed in the most appropriate ways. Clear guidance is available. As I connect to my inner wisdom, clarity meets me with ease and tenderness. Actually listening to and following the guidance I receive is up to me. Letting go and honoring loss is an important part of life. Easy? Not really. Worthwhile? Absolutely. Even in the midst of sadness I know this to be true. Loving is so worth it, all the feelings and experiences it brings. Feeling the loss of a loved one or experience is a sign of our capacity to love. Honoring change, whether it is through a death, releasing a relationship, job transition, graduating from one year of life to the next, or any of the myriad changes life offers, is an ultimate sign of respect for life. Saying okay to change and recalling what has been meaningful is a way to celebrate life. The times of difficulty, decline and discord as well as the times of ease, joy, levity and abundance. Loving someone, something, somewhere is what makes life meaningful. Holding onto what one loves is common human tendency, and yet it goes against the very nature of love. Doesn’t it? Loving is honoring, appreciating, accepting, seeing, hearing, sensing, savoring and then letting be. Love does not mean to hold on tight and refuse to allow change. As much I as I know this inside, when it comes to letting go of something I care for deeply, the thought doesn’t quite convince me out of feeling loss. They aren’t meant to. In this time of loss and transition, adjusting to a new normal (for now), I come back to what I know for sure. The place in me where faith resides, where trust lives, where I know there is a bigger picture than I can see where all turns out exactly as its meant to. One thing I know for sure is that love is real. Caring and connecting transcend time and space. Those I have bonded with and shared even sparks of acknowledgment with remain. In me, in them, in the vast web of life we all share. Honestly appreciating does not diminish just because the form of something changes. I think about change in terms of letting go in this way: moving from one grade to the next in school is a rite of passage, a success. It requires trust, time to adjust, and brings with it many feelings both of insecurity and exhilaration to develop and grow. In order to experience what is next, what has been must be let go. Holding onto the first grade would make an entire world of learning, connecting, growing, changing, evolving, and experimenting impossible. Holding on, resisting what is meant to be, denying the natural progression of change is not an act of love at all. It is harmful. All life is a place of learning. When it comes to letting go, as scary as it might be, there is so much more to experience beyond this fear of letting go in love. Letting go with love is loving. Imagining those I care about who I no longer see or hear in the same way is how love lives on. This is as real as hugging them, showing up to that office, calling her, seeing his smile across the room, giving the furry friend a pet. Honor the loss, remember with love, trust the greater good, be gentle and kind in the process as yes is said to the new.

Shifting seasons into Summer brings more light to us in the Northern Hemisphere. With increasing sunshine and more daylight, there is a lightening up of much more than the atmosphere. The dresses and shorts are out! School is out of session, people of all ages are invited to holiday and spend time outdoors with family, friends and community. There are barbecues and festivals, farmers markets and concerts. Invitations to mix it up from the sometimes monotonous day to day routine are everywhere. Summer reminds us that engaging new-ness is the spice of life. Whether during a specific season of the calendar year or particular stage of life, turning off the auto pilot and choosing something unfamiliar or out of the norm is revitalizing and invigorating.As the light increases in the physical world, there is a readiness in me that is also rising and growing in visibility.I’ve been waking up to what’s next for me. I feel changes happening and more coming. Have you, too? The call to spice up the routines and roles has me identifying intention, setting goals, and exceeding them in many aspects of life. Professional opportunities are finding me, new clients are seeking me out, my skills are wanted and being valued, the courage to discontinue habits and patterns that no longer empower me is strong, personal relationships are flourishing, I am inspired creatively, the list goes on.I’m living some of what I only hoped for last season and beyond. How did it happen?I mixed it up! The art of trying something new is the spice of life after all. I was ready for a change and stepped into it. I was became ready for something new to set off a domino effect of other new and fulfilling experiences. I realized to get something new I’ve got to do something new. Pretty simple, right? It took me a bit to grasp onto just how profound this statement is when put to practice. Letting go of the familiar routine can be challenging, scary, unsettling. I know!Recent example: I was invited on an impromptu camping trip to a place just outside of Yosemite National Park. Beautiful, majestic, all inclusive trip away for a few days.Who would turn this down, you might be asking. The answer: me. My initial reaction was, “I can’t, I would have to find a place for the dog, cancel this, reschedule that…” Excuse, excuse, excuse to stay in my comfort zone. The auto pilot answer was sure to get me more of the same: staying home in a routine that was fulfilling in areas and also ready for some major revitalizing. Who couldn’t benefit from a holiday?Before answering, with what can only be described as a habitual reaction, stopped me in my tracks. “Just say Yes” swam through my head, drowning out the excuses for long enough to get my attention.So I listened. I said Yes. I have learned to trust my gut through some painful lessons of ignoring this wise inner guide. Saying yes meant letting others support me, to give up control. I allowed others to watch the dog, packed a bag (well, two and some bedding to be exact – I am not the lightest packer, but who is really?) got out of my comfort zone, gave the auto pilot five days off and had a peaceful, meaningful and play-filled getaway with family. For days I was I was fed in ways nothing else could: new experience. I rarely looked at a clock, read on grass surrounded by trees three thousand feet above sea level, wrote pages and pages of the book I have been grappling with more recently that is due out by Fall (can you feel me smiling from here?!), soaked in some sun, hiked by streaming water, listened to bull frogs, tag teamed my nieces with sunscreen and mosquito spray, and laughed. The simple choice to try something new, to choose a different route and expose myself to unfamiliars, brought me face to face with the power I have to mix it up. Saying yes to getting out of my comfort zone is key, while maintaining basic safety, necessary boundaries and self care of course. I chose to be teachable, to let go of control, to open myself to unfamiliars, to practice flexibility. I spiced it up!

How are you called to mix it up and let the new swing in?There are ways to do this available to us all, everyday. Here are a few methods I use to spice things up on a regular basis:

Go into that store you’ve been curious about and usually just walk by.

Take water aerobics instead of practicing yoga alone.

Notice what you instantly grab for at the grocery store and choose a different flavor, brand or option entirely the next time you shop.

Introduce yourself to a stranger you’re drawn to and ask a meaningful question.

Leave the car at home and take the bus.

Answer the uniform “how are you?” honestly. Fine, okay, and good are off limits for this one.

Expand that vocabulary! The Dictionary or your favorite film have dozens of new words to borrow.

Use your non dominant hand and write a note.

Leave the phone and computer off for five more minutes in the morning and write a gratitude list instead.

What might enter in when the art of trying something new is nurtured? Go ahead, spice things up. What’s the worst that could happen? Letting out a few laughs, showing those pearly whites, maybe shedding some tears, looking silly or strikingly brilliant while creating new neural pathways (our brains love them some learning, after all). It’s what we’re here for so go out and get it, you spicy thing you.

Balance: How often do you hear, see or say this word? I, for one, hear it a lot. From childhood learning, to meal planning, health magazines, doctor offices, board rooms, food labels, therapists, teachers, bosses and world news, the term is widespread. We can use the word often, but when it comes to defining it, I find many are at a loss. As a Balance, Wellness and Movement Coach, I guide others in the quest to define and create their life on their terms. Rediscovering and defining for ourselves what some basic terms and concepts mean to us as individuals is the key to living authentically and meaningfully. This balance thing is no exception.

For a long time the concept of balance eluded me, too. To be honest, sometimes it still does. I have often wondered "does this balance thing even exist? And if so, who has it?" This initial curiosity has set me on a journey that continues daily, no end in sight yet.

In looking more closely at this all elusive state, I discovered some of the ways I have defined balance. I have equated to stillness and calm, success and perfection. This is a nice theory, a grand ideal, and a trap when I attach to it. Balanced living might include all of these things, though it is not dependent on them. Balance is not a state of complete stillness, as I have thought most of my life and until now, assumed, and become quite frustrated over. Looking at this belief now, it appears more like death to me. Accepting that I had been confused in previous interactions with balance allowed me to rediscover what it is in my life.

If balance isn't what I thought, what does it even look like? How will I know when I'm living it? Am I just waiting for someone else to tell me I have arrived at it?

Asking the question "what is balance to me?" while weaving in the tool of curiosity brought even more questions. Question, question, doubt, frustration, question, comparison... and then I had a revelation.

Sitting on one of those almost too fun to exercise with bouncy balls of all places, I noticed how when I got still and found my center, to remain there, upright and erect, I had to make continuous small adjustments to my legs, back, abs, and arms. A lot was being asked of me: my breath and focus were required as I kept these systems working together to keep me “balanced." This working to stay centered did not feel stressful or agitating, it did ask me to focus and stay committed. "This was it, balance!" poured from my lips, and then I tipped off and met the mat. I had met balance for a moment. My physic al body was not completely still though it might have appeared so from the outside. This moment on the yoga mat remains with me. A simple exercise with profound teachings.

Balance is not what I had previously thought. In an instant, my definition broadened and so had my experience of balance. No longer stagnant and fixed, I was free to explore balance in new terms. Stay curious and the answers will come.

Such is the way balance shows up in my day to day life. Accept the imbalance, ask meaningful questions and assess the situation from the inside out. Bring to awareness one area of your world that feels a bit off kilter. Get in touch with the situation or relationship and apply these questions to it:

How do I know I am out of balance here?

What is telling me I am not centered? (It might be your own intuition, a thought, or someone else's opinion.)

If there were one small choice to make now that will lead me to equilibrium, what might it be?

If I were balanced already, I would be _________.

How will I know when I am in balance in this situation?

When I strike a balance here, I will feel _________.

Now turn it into an affirmation: I am balanced and feeling ________!

Feel into these statements and practice how it will be to actually strike the balanced life you so desire. In celebrating the process of finding our own balance, new insights become available that were hidden from view when we were in resistance mode.

The idea that balance has to look a certain way will keep it in our future, never in the here and now. And who wants to wait for balance? I know I don't. Some equilibrium now and ongoingly sounds wonderful. As long as we stay in the "if...then" and "when...then," our power to choose the reality we live remains in the hands of others: other people, institutions, and circumstances.

My definition of balance is one that continues to grow, change and reveal itself in new ways. While I still wonder how balanced my life actually is, when I ponder on the balance thing there is a peaceful presence that definitely hasn't always been there. Putting to practice the tools of acceptance, curiosity, assessment and application (trying things out) have changed my relationship with balance into something rich, menaingful and rewarding. Balance is something unique to each of us, undefinable by anyone else. Continuing to identify what balance means to me has become fun as I've taken the pressure off and given myself a break for not being perfect. Both of these are daily spiritual practices. I might not be perfect, I definitely tumble, and there are areas of my life that are beautifully in balance right now. These are worth celebrating! And learning from for that matter. Where we are in balance can direct us to find balance and live it in the areas that are ready for a newfound centeredness. Take a moment and learn from your successes. Practically applying what has worked for us before is a simple and efficient way to attain our goals.

I know I am in balance in this area because _______________________________________.

I feel ________________________.

I see ________________________.

I sense ________________________.

I think _________________________.

I am receiving ______________________.

I am giving ______________________.

Ways to communicate with that balance thing and strike it where you want it include: make small adjustments, look for what's already working, practice adaptability, flexibility, patience, letting go of assumptions, have trust in your process, take the lens off other people's balance or lack thereof, shake the constantly available opinions of others, following your intuition, ask those you admire how they strike the balance they do.

Explore these concepts and apply them to your day to day when you want to find balance again. Remember, balance, like us, are continusouly growing and changing. Allow the balance of yesterday to transform into something equally satifying.

Remember, there is no one way to live in balance. Freedom comes from knowing what works for someone else might not work for you. We are all in this together and only you can discover that glorious formula for balanced living perfectly tailored for you! Question those assumptions, explore your world, stay curious, get on the bouncy ball, be gentle with yourself and find your way to balance as it is showing up today.

Whether I think I am prepared for something or not, life brings it. In the past month, I have had many encounters with unexpected memories and recollections, synchronicities and surprises, challenges and quantum leaps. What I have concluded, yet again, is that when something is in front of me (or within me for that matter), I am ready for it. If it is happening, I am ready and able to meet it. No exceptions. This belief has been tested and strengthened preceding and following my recent trip to Thailand. Lingering doubt that I can handle all that comes was squashed in one challenging, emotional, surreal and liberating afternoon this week. Within the course of five hours, I found a planner from high school, empty ring boxes, a wedding invitation, the declaration of love heart pendant from my first beau, and a journal with reflections and confessions on years’ worth of experience. In this same afternoon, I drove past a great love I had not seen or spoken to for some time on my way from the market. Reminders of love, life, change and turbulent growing opportunities kept presenting themselves. This was a day! Why is it that all of this comes at once, like a line of dominoes, one leads to the other and to yet another. What led me to be ready for all this so close together? Was this a call to reflect or let go, or both? Thoughts paraded with banners reading “this is too much!” while emotions beamed with shades of vulnerability, sadness, nostalgia, playfulness and honor. The one question I asked in the midst of these thoughts and emotions brought me back to serenity and curiosity:What is the gift here? This question itself changes the terrain from panic from the past to peace in the present. I remember a lot. Sometimes this feels like a blessing. Sometimes it does not. The reminders of connection I have shared in previous chapters of my life called me to choose; follow the path of emotions and thought or pave another way. Acknowledging my readiness to handle, survive and even thrive in any circumstance opens me to experience the magic, gift and growth in it. By the end of this particularly memory packed afternoon, I had shed a few tears, chuckled a few laughs, and landed in immense gratitude. I have expressed love freely and received caring passionately in relationships. I still do, now more than ever, with myself. Ready or not… Ready or not!Your turn: If you’re human, something is showing up in your life, internally or externally, that has you questioning your capability or the outcome. Right? Perhaps some fear crops up when you think about that family dinner or missing the deadline for FedEx to deliver by Christmas. Find or create some space to be reflective for a few minutes. Take a seat, take a walk, take a bath and bring this situation to mind. Notice what emotions and thoughts rise as you do. Remember to breathe, allowing any sensations to rise and fall in their own way. What surfaces is presenting itself to change, why not let it?! Now ask “What is the gift here for me?” Take a few long, deep breaths and open to what you hear, see, smell and taste. If there were a gift, what could it be? If there were many gifts, how might they be showing up? Play with this, allowing the sensations to transform into guideposts for where you are headed. I believe in you, you are ready. So… what do you want? My guess is a gift. Who doesn’t love a present from time to time? With Blessings & So Much Gratitude, DarcyThis article is featured in Simply...Woman Magazine athttp://www.simplywoman.com/ready-or-not-life-is-coming/

This has been one full year for me and for a while there, the dreaming was dormant. Moving through major transitions and finding myself in new ways through them all, I am grateful to say that I have resumed dreaming elaborately. I have prayed consistently, worked rigorously, released faithfully and shown up for recovery vigilantly. The path has been paved and I am walking it with dignity, respect, service, and more joy and peace than I could have anticipated. Dreams are taking shape: Reinvention + Recovery Coaching is developing, close friendships are being nurtured as new relationships are coming in, writing continues on projects that light me up, I am even leaving for an overseas adventure this week! There is nothing to worry about, everything is taken care of, life is good.

All great news. Right? Absolutely! Then why am I writing this you might be wondering? I have been graced with so many blessings. I am in a state of no problems. And I am feeling anxious. This trip has me so excited and tense all at once. I have the freedom to explore Thailand for a few weeks where I will be completing a yoga certification program. I am thrilled to be learning more about my body, mind and spirit so as to guide others in this intimate self-exploration. I have been linked with this community of kindred spirits and complete permission to unplug from business and technology. This is what I have wanted and it is here, and I am unsure how to be with it. To let in the dream come true.

Can you relate to any of this? Are there goals you’ve set only to lose steam as they are coming to fruition? Have you ever set yourself up for something fun, extravagant, meaningful only to arrive in the experience of being with it and unsure of how to really let it in? It’s almost as if the push to achieve takes the spotlight when the achievement itself is waiting in the shadows.

This is just silly, I know it is. Why work towards something and then not enjoy it?

I have been through a lot this year and deserve to unwind and experience a dream come true. We all do. Anyone and everyone can tell me that it is more than appropriate to take time off and have an adventure, validate my choices and encourage me to enjoy what is. All the well meaning, uber loving, supportive and honest feedback from those around me is incredible (I thank you beloved friends + family!) As appreciated as it is, none of this love from others can make me relax into accepting and enjoying what is. I have to believe that I am safe in and worthy of living a life I love. It comes down to worthiness and trust, yet again.

This seems so daunting. I feel frustrated, anxious and guilty. None of these are states I want to stay in for very long. So, I’ve been asking, where do I go from here? I know what to do. My Inner Wisdom knows. The answers are in me, so now it’s just about letting them guide me.

Here are a few of the tips my Inner Wisdom gave me to try. The results have been stunning, as they often are when I take her lead.

Take off the filter: Find the feeling states (frustration, anxiety, guilt, etc.) and give them a voice. What do they have to get off their chest? Journaling with these feelings can reveal what is actually needing some extra attention inside. No filtering necessary, just let it out on paper! If you don’t feel comfortable keeping the pages around after, have a ritual and burn them in a fireplace or send them to the shredder with love.

Shake that tush: Yes, I grabbed the hula hoop and started swinging. Redirecting the frenetic energy from my head down to my body turned the state of disempowerment I was in into something completely different. I went from lethargic anxiety to playful aliveness in two minutes flat! My head was just full; this physical movement was just the release it needed.

Answer me this: Complete these statements with the experience being resisted in mind.

If I weren’t afraid, I would …

I hold back because …

What I need to feel worthy is …

How I can give this to myself is …

I can’t help but smile when …

One thing I am loving about myself is …

One thing I am loving about life is …

How I choose to feel in this moment of grace is …

Tap Tap Tap: Have you heard of EFT? The Emotional Freedom Technique has been a source of empowerment for me since hearing about it, learning it, then actually doing it. Whether on a walk with the dog, in traffic, or lying in bed at night, this simple tool brings me back to my Inner Wisdom (and this is a place I love to be). If you are ready for some relief and realignment, trying tapping!

This was the formula: Taking a few minutes to be with myself, returning to the tools and techniques I have learned and used, daring to get honest about what is actually happening versus what my mind is concocting, nurturing the tender places within and sharing it with others. This was the result: I reconnected with the safe space within, peace returned, joy reignited and I even started packing my suitcase! I like this equation.

How will you get to the safe place where dreams can be lived without apology?As usual, I'm here for you + with you and excited to be embarking on this together. Here's to dreaming the dreams and living them, too!

When did zombies become a regular feature in pop culture? Well before Halloween’s gamut of costumes came out, zombies were all over the place. I’m not just talking about movies and TV here. You see them, don’t you? The walking dead can be found in the aisles of the grocery store, riding shotgun in bumper to bumper traffic, sitting in the desk next to you at the office, maybe even looking back at you in the mirror. Auto pilot, living from a place of fear, and following habitual patterns that no longer serve you are all ways of living in zombie land. Zombies are the “living dead.” People who are walking, talking, moving and shaking, though missing vital life force. Do you recognize this state of living without that oomph of vitality, inspiration, joy and purpose? Yes, this one and precious life is full of responsibility. While not all the actions of day to day life are enjoyable or particularly comfortable, they are all chances to engage our spirit. In the midst of the busy schedules and the rush to accomplish, routine can become lackluster. Then inspiration goes out the window and auto pilot takes over. Where has inspiration gone missing in your life? Where are you a living dead?

What if where you are currently on auto pilot, those ho hum areas of the calendar, were given some extra attention and joie de vivre? What might become available if you wake up to the opportunity in the seemingly mundane?

I bet some area of your life has come into focus as you’ve been reading this. Maybe there is some overwhelm, guilt, frustration or confusion lingering as you think of this aspect of life. There might even be some anger, apathy, sadness or blame. Whichever emotions or states of being are present, however comfortable or uncomfortable, these are all good news! Emotions are energy. Auto pilot lacks energy and intention. In bringing awareness to where a zombie has taken over, the energy of emotion and intention to wake up can assist in the transformation of coming back to life in a way that is meaningful to you.

Here are a few tips and tools for waking up and reinvigorating your life force:

- Put pen to paper: What would it mean to be fully engaged in life? Describe how it might look, sound, feel, smell and taste to be awake in one specific area of your life where you aren’t fully present or satisfied right now. Invite the Creative Imagination in you to come play. (If you need some inspiration, look to those you admire and take some details from their life you’d like to experience.)

- Set a date to say Thank You:Set a timer on your phone twice a day that reads “look for what’s right.” Become more accustomed to seeing the miracles in the normal and the senses will begin to come to life! Write down what comes in a small notebook or on your phone to reflect on and re-enjoy later.

- Be a beginner: Commit to learning at least one new thing every day. This might be taking a group or class you haven’t tried before, walking down a different street on your walk with the pooch, opening a Dictionary to a random page and starting to read, or asking a close friend to tell you something about them you don’t know. The world is vast! There is much to learn and behold; auto pilot becomes nearly impossible when curiosity is a priority.

- Let Faith have a say: Complete the sentence “If I weren’t afraid I would…” aloud or in writing. Let whatever surfaces out. Giving Faith the chance to speak will provide inspired direction in areas of your life you might not have considered before. Set a reminder on your phone once a day to have this conversation with Faith. Nurture this relationship and rewards will flow!

"I just trust. Perhaps I won't see why or how, reasons might be invisible or out of reach for now. Still, I trust: myself, this path, and the winds meeting us both. I simply trust, no understanding required. Understanding is a bonus."

Trick or treat! Truth or dare? BOO! It’s that time of year again, where things and beings that have been buried or brushed aside, hidden in the dark or locked away, get their time in the lime light. Ghosts, ghouls, goblins, disco kings, gypsy queens, magicians and fairies, oh my! In the spirit of Halloween, imaginations are aflame. As the custom goes, costumes are being created and purchased for their night whee anything goes. Whether going to a late night party or school recital, everyone is included in getting their costume on.

Dressing up as someone else is the tradition, one that I have participated in plenty since childhood. The ritual of exploring my mind for what it could come up with, a unique someone to pretend to be, brought with it fun and frustration. Finding some creative entity to become for a day was fascinating and a fair amount of pressure. Looking at this cultural pattern now, it makes sense that I had such a fondness as well as some loathing for what I was doing growing up. The potential elaborate character and costume I could wear and be held magic in it. If I could be anything without having others judge me, who would I be? At the same time, the push to contort into someone or something that I am not held strain and anxiety. Wasn’t I enough, just me? Couldn’t I dress up in some outlandish outfit or not do my hair, just because? Why does Halloween have to be my one chance? Having a special day to be someone different, or relax more fully and visibly into part of who I really am, happens just once a year. Really? What if instead of putting on a mask for Halloween, you took one off? Who do you want to let go of being, even if for one day? What aspect of you is ready to be revealed and let out to play? What might be revealed if you disrobed a role or persona you’ve taken on instead of inventing another to put on? Consider this, these words right here, as full permission to be what you really want to be for Halloween. Take off a mask and enhance part of you that has been hidden for far too long. Why buy a costume when you are fully clad with vivaciousness already? Who knows, maybe you’ll discover who you dare to be (and be seen) will come out to play year round… For more clarity on what is ready to be revealed, explore success on your own terms here. In the Flow and loving the ride, Darcy

Recovery is a hot topic in my life. This mere eight letter word has become an all encompassing term that refers to many states of being, physical experiences and mindsets. Like many terms, what it means for me is likely different than what it is for you. Though definitions and experience differ (we are all unique after all), there are common themes when it comes to recovery that I have noticed over the years in this lifestyle. Clarifying the meanings and definitions of the words and terms I use brings balance into my life. To be impeccable with my word, live honestly and stay aligned with my values, I speak consciously. Getting clear about what recovery is in my life opens the door for more gratitude, knowledge and possibility. I am empowered as I claim my personal relationship to a recovery lifestyle. As Life Coach and creative guidess Cat Caracelo recently reminded me, ”the more you know the more you know.” This simple and profound reminder conveys the value of mindful living, having a willingness to speak the truth, and explore what is present inside and out (all key concepts of recovery). Defining what I know about recovery now spurs more insight, learning and possibility for growth. The more I know, the more I know. Here is some of what recovery means to me: 1. Recovery is transforming illness or hardship into teacher. 2. Recovery is making choices based on the question “is this serving my wellness?” 3. Recovery is riding the waves of change and choosing wellness as I go. 4. Recovery is a shift in perspective and perception. 5. Recovery is daring to be awake and aware. 6. Recovery is pulling my own covers when it is called for. 7. Recovery is tucking myself in when I need to be cared for. 8. Recovery is moving forward gently and courageously. 9. Recovery is black and white and every color in between. 10. Recovery is merging what is linear with circular patterns of wholeness. 11. Recovery is choosing my words with care. 12. Recovery is stating yes…and rather than okay…but (hello, personal responsibility!). 13. Recovery is seeing that nothing is totally personal. 14. Recovery is forgiving so that I can be free. 15. Recovery is showing up for what comes and reawakening to the present moment. 16. Recovery is making choices from a place of faith. 17. Recovery is expanding into miracles. 18. Recovery is dreams coming true. 19. Recovery is healing happening. 20. Recovery is surrendering to the truth of the situation at hand and letting it be part of the journey. 21. Recovery is feeling feelings and letting them move on through. 22. Recovery is cultivating self-knowledge. 23. Recovery is discovery, getting to know my own inner landscape. 24. Recovery is practicing honesty with self and others. 25. Recovery is releasing old patterns that perpetuate fear and limitation. 26. Recovery is a spiritual development adventure. 27. Recovery is learning new habits and embracing “the beginner’s mind.” 28. Recovery is finding the faith muscle and exercising it. 29. Recovery is waking up to the authentic self. 30. Recovery is a quest of mapping the landscapes of where I’ve been and where I am now. 31. Recovery is remembering and releasing stories that no longer define me. 32. Recovery is activating imagination and visioning. In the words of Brene Brown, recovery is all about “daring greatly” to be me. 33. Recovery is realigning with my true self in all my shades and shapes. 34. Recovery is retelling the story to uncover what is ready to be heard and healed. 35. Recovery is revising the meanings I have given things that really aren’t true. 36. Recovery is reinventing identity and claiming new truth. 37. Recovery is questioning my thoughts and changing my relationship to them. 38. Recovery is redesigning patterns and lifestyle choices so they propel me in wellness. 39. Recovery is reclaiming core values, dreams and goals. 40. Recovery is practicing self-care. 41. Recovery is committing to self-love. 42. Recovery is aligning with principles that support thriving. 43. Recovery is acceptance. 44. Recovery is taking an honest inventory. 45. Recovery is making conscious choice and taking conscious action. 46. Recovery is paving my own path and learning from the experiences of others. 47. Recovery is claiming self-direction and getting to know the language of my inner compass/intuition. 48. Recovery is participating fully in life. 49. Recovery is acknowledging the spectrum of experience. 50. Recovery is taking responsibility for my experience and choosing again. 51. Recovery is returning to faith in the process even when fear comes 52. Recovery is more than a word. It is a lifestyle, a choice made again and again. 53. Recovery is a verb and a noun; an action and a thing. 54. Recovery is giving myself what I want from others. 55. Recovery is sharing with others what I want for myself. 56. Recovery is embracing my humanness and tending to the wounded places. 57. Recovery is letting substances go (goodbye, drugs and alcohol!). 58. Recovery is allowing clarity, joy, peace, freedom and fulfillment to come. 59. Recovery is trusting the process, even when I don’t have a clue how it’ll “all work out.” 60. Recovery is opening to the forces that are spinning this world ‘round. 61. Recovery is relaxing into the wonder. 62. Recovery is being the best friend I can be, to myself. 63. Recovery is treating myself with the honor, respect and affection. 64. Recovery is extending my love to those nearest and dearest to me. 65. Recovery is realigning with what fits with my life now, and doing it again and again and again. What does recovery look like in your life? Do you identify with any of these aspects of being? The more you know, the more you know… so let’s get to exploring, shall we? Share with me what comes and how a lifestyle of recovery is benefiting you.As always, I am here to support and cheer on. Loving the awake and aware life, Darcy

Darcy Helene Meehan

As an advocate of Reinvention + Recovery, I work with clients to achieve balance, alignment and purpose in all areasof life. I specialize in a psycho-spiritual approach that brings simple coaching and counseling tools in to assist you in healing, wholeness and thriving through transition. I focus on specific areas, including maintaining extended recovery andconscious life design.